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LONDON — The U.K.’s LIVE industry group (Live music Industry Venues & Entertainment) has announced that contributions to its music fund has crossed the £500,000 ($668,007) milestone. The fund supports the grassroots music scene, and has been backed by stars such as Diana Ross, Pulp, Mumford & Sons and Hans Zimmer, all of whom have pledged to donate £1 ($1.30) from every ticket sale for upcoming arena shows.
LIVE campaigns and raises awareness for issues facing the U.K.’s live music scene, with a particular focus on the grassroots music scene and its workers. It represents 15 live music organizations, including the Music Venue Trust, the Music Managers Forum, Featured Artists Coalition among others.
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The LIVE Trust, established in January 2025, receives funding from a voluntary contribution of £1 per ticket from arena and stadium shows with a capacity of over 5000. A funding strategy is then implemented alongside a panel of industry experts, ensuring the funds reach venues, promoters, festivals and artists.
A proposed ticket levy has long been discussed in the U.K. to help stem the tide of grassroots music venues closures. The MVT reports that over 150 venues have closed across the U.K. since 2023, citing a number of financial challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis.
The current Labour government has supported the idea of the levy. Speaking in a parliamentary debate in January, Chris Bryant (creative industries minister) backed the idea of a levy in either format: “If the scheme does not happen voluntarily, will we make it statutory? Yes,” he said.
A number of big name acts have already committed portions from ticket sales in recent years, including Sam Fender, Katy Perry, Enter Shikari and more. Coldplay will donate 10% of the revenue from their upcoming Wembley Stadium residency to the Music Venue Trust, one of LIVE’s members. The group will play a record 10 nights at the venue in August and September.
Last week LIVE shared their Music Fans’ Voice report, which surveyed 8000 concert goers about the state of the live music industry, with 93% of respondents backing the £1 per ticket contribution.
Jon Collins, CEO of LIVE said, “This is a welcome milestone for The LIVE Trust and marks a very significant contribution to the grassroots live music sector. What this demonstrates is that there is a real appetite from performers and their teams to support the wider live ecosystem and we applaud and thank those that have already taken this initiative. Whilst this is an excellent start there is still much work to do if we are to convince government that a voluntary rather than statutory levy is both workable and sustainable.”
Prolific Canadian metal musician Devin Townsend has revealed to fans that his forthcoming run of North American tour dates will be his last for the “foreseeable future” as he takes a “vacation” from touring.
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The 52-year-old shared the news with his fans via a video message on Monday (April 28), telling them they should embrace the upcoming opportunity to catch him live throughout May.
“For nearly 35 years, I’ve followed a creative path guided by instinct—each album, each tour, each project a new chapter in a story I’ve felt compelled to tell,” he added in an accompanying message. “My mind latches onto concepts, and I love chasing them down. That chase has made this journey wild, unpredictable, and deeply fulfilling.
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“Over the years, I’ve heard it countless times: ‘Dev, take a break… please.’ But the flood of ideas, the excitement, and the support of incredible musicians and listeners have kept me going, kept me touring, and kept me grateful for a life on the road.
“That said, things have changed—especially since the pandemic,” he added. “Booking tours now means planning up to two years in advance. With fewer venues, fewer crews, and a saturated touring circuit, it’s become more challenging than ever to line things up.”
As a result, Townsend explained that when he wraps up his upcoming run of dates in Los Angeles on May 23, it will be the “last time you’ll see me on stage for the foreseeable future.” Continuing, he noted that his extended period of rest will see him taking time to “breathe and recalibrate” as he deals with the necessities of life and he tends to the “dozen things that I’ve been waiting to do for all these years that have to be pushed aside due to the constant touring.”
“That doesn’t mean I’m done playing live. Not by a long shot,” he continued. “I’ll be performing until my final breath. But right now, I need to be present for the people who need me, and to give myself the space to reflect on everything I’ve been through.”
Townsend also added that he would be taking the time to launch a new YouTube series called The Ruby Quaker Show where he explores the numerous creative ventures he has had on the back burner for years. “Now I’m making the time to bring them to life, without that familiar pressure of knowing I’ll be gone again in a month,” he says.
In the meantime, Townsend also added that he would be doing his best to make the upcoming shows as “meaningful and unforgettable as possible” before he takes an extended period of leave from the stage.
“I will return to the stage. But first, I need to reset,” he concluded. “Touring has been a beautiful, exhausting constant in my life, and for once, I’m listening to the voice that says: slow down. I want to create from a place of calm inspiration rather than frantic obligation. And until I can truly be there for the people who rely on me, my creativity won’t be at its best.”
Townsend first rose to prominence in the ‘90s after working with and touring alongside Steve Vai, before founding Strapping Young Lad in 1994. The group would ultimately split in 2007, though Townsend had already embarked upon a prolific solo career by this point, with releases under the Devin Townsend Project and Casualties of Cool monikers also arriving over the years.
While the Devin Townsend Project’s 2012 release Epicloud would hit No. 105 on the Billboard 200 and top the Heatseekers chart, he would receive his biggest success in 2013 when Z² reached No. 73 on the Billboard 200.
As Haim ready the release of their long-awaited fourth album, the trio of siblings have dropped an extensive run of North American and U.K. tour dates.
The Haim sisters officially confirmed the title of their upcoming album only a week ago during a show at The Bellwether theater in Los Angeles on April 23. The show itself was their first full show in nearly two years, with the trio revealing that I Quit will be their moniker of their fourth LP.
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The follow-up to 2020’s Women in Music Pt. III, the upcoming record will officially arrive on June 20, and has so far been previewed by way of singles “Relationships,” “Everybody’s Trying to Figure Me Out,” and the newly-released “Down to Be Wrong.”
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As the countdown to the record’s release slowly ticks away, Haim have now unveiled a run of tour dates to occupy them during the latter half of the year.
Launching their upcoming tour plans with festival dates across the U.K, Europe, and Japan over the summer, the I Quit tour will see the trio embark upon a 23-date tour of the U.S. and Canada between September and October, before returning to the U.K. that same month with a six date run of shows.
In a recent interview in i.d. magazine, self-proclaimed “serial monogamist” Danielle said the new album is the first they’ve made without the involvement of her longtime boyfriend, producer Ariel Rechtshaid, and that she’s single for the first time since 2011. “Being single now, I’m just trying to embrace it, because I’m… I feel like I’m the age where I need to embrace it,” she said.
Alana said that the album is “the closest we’ve ever gotten to how we wanted to sound,” with Danielle diplomatically adding that working again with another longtime collaborator Rostam was “very quick, kinetic with him, which I really love as an artist… Maybe before, it wasn’t that way, it was kind of a more… longer, searching, labored situation.”
Haim – 2025 I Quit Tour Dates
Sept. 4 – TD Pavilion at the Mann, Philadelphia, PASept. 5 – The Stage at Suffolk Downs, Boston, MASept. 6 – Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ONSept. 8 – Madison Square Garden, New York, NYSept. 9 – Westville Music Bowl, New Haven, CTSept. 10 – Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, MDSept. 12 – United Center, Chicago, ILSept. 13 – The Rave, Milwaukee, WISept. 14 – The Armory, Minneapolis, MNSept. 17 – Edgefield, Portland, ORSept. 18 – WAMU Theater, Seattle, WASept. 20 – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, Vancouver, BCSept. 23 – Mesa Amphitheatre, Phoenix, AZSept. 25 – The Bomb Factory, Dallas, TXSept. 26 – Moody Center, Austin, TXSept. 28 – White Oak Music Hall- Lawn, Houston, TXSept. 30 – The Pinnacle, Nashville, TNOct. 3 – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, Denver, COOct. 4 – The Great Saltair, Salt Lake City, UTOct. 7 – Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CAOct. 9 – Kia Forum, Los Angeles, CAOct. 10 – The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, San Diego, CAOct. 11 – Santa Barbara Bowl, Santa Barbara, CAOct. 24 – Motorpoint Arena, Nottingham, UKOct. 25 – Utilita Arena, Cardiff, UKOct. 26 – Brighton Centre, Brighton, UKOct. 28 – The O2, London, UKOct. 30 – AO Arena, Manchester, UKOct. 31 – OVO Hydro, Glasgow, UK
In February, when Post Malone and Jelly Roll announced they planned to join forces for the BIG ASS Stadium Tour, it made perfect sense. After all, the pairing takes two artists with deep roots in hip-hop who have crossed multiple genre borders throughout their musical adventures, both embracing rock, pop and country and proving equally […]
Stagecoach 2025 was full of the hottest country stars and the best food, and we caught up with Goldenvoice’s Stacy Vee, Jelly Roll, Shaboozey and Guy Fieri to get their take on how the festival has grown over the years.
Did you go to Stagecoach this year? Let us know in the comments!
Tetris Kelly:
I mean, hanging out with Stacey, you’re a legend. You’ve been with this thing since the beginning. So how is it to like come here, have these amazing artists join you and support you?
Stacy Vee:
I mean, it’s pretty amazing to see this collection of personalities, talent partners, bookers, we all come together with a common goal of pushing the genre forward and having a bunch of fun in the process.
Tetris Kelly:
I mean, and Guy, how has it been to work with Stacey over all these years?
Guy Fieri:
Well, she is the queen, the godmother, she’s the one that curates this. I know everybody loves to come to Stagecoach, but all of our careers have been impacted by her vision and awareness of what’s going on in the world, in the world of music, the world of food, the world of, you know, a party and Stagecoach is Stagecoach because of Stacy Vee.
Tetris Kelly:
I mean, you’re rolling up to Stagecoach, man, this is three weekends for you. I’ve been laughing about you and T-Pain. Coachella, Coachella, Stagecoach. How’s it to be here tonight?
Shaboozey:
It’s amazing, man, to be over here with my brother. Man, we just put out a song and and, you know, I’m just really humbled and grateful to be here.
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The first wave of acts locked in to perform at this year’s KCON Los Angeles has been announced.
As unveiled Monday (April 28), the 2025 performer lineup will feature, in alphabetical order: CRAVITY,SEVENTEEN subunit HxW, IS:SUE, IVE, izna, JO1, LEE YOUNGJI, NMIXX, P1Harmony, Roy Kim and ZEROBASEONE. Organizers of the three-day event are expected to announce several more batches of artists in later weeks.
Taking place Aug. 1-3 at Crypto.com Arena in L.A., 2025’s KCON LA will also have a theme: “KLOVER’S CLUB FAIR.” Drawing inspiration from lucky four-leaf clovers, the event will feature different stages and activities that cater specifically to K-pop fans while promising the good fortune of access to their favorite artists. And those who love Korean culture as a whole will have much to experience in addition to music, with stations focusing on fashion, beauty and food.
The L.A. installment of KCON is just one of many that take place annually around the world, with the festival also hosting iterations in Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, United Arab Emirates, France, Mexico, Australia, Thailand and Saudi Arabia since first kicking off in the United States in 2012. In 2024, KCON LA attracted more than 5.9 million fans from 170+ countries, both on-site and through virtual opportunities to join in.
The 2025 KCON LA will be extra special for the guys of P1Harmony, who will return this year after performing at last year’s festival as well. “It’s really a convention to show off Korean culture and what’s hot and upcoming in Korean culture, like K-beauty, music, food,” band leader Keeho told Billboard backstage at the 2024 event.
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He added at the time: “To be able to go there and just be part of that wave of representation, and showcase what’s new, I feel like it’s really really good to take part.”
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Source: Bernard Beanz Smalls / Bernard Beanz Smalls,
For the past few weeks Jim Jones has been on his grizzly dropping off new videos in support of his latest album, At The Church’s Steps, and sure enough the Harlem representative continues to churn out new work to keep his momentum alive.
Linking up with Rick Ross and Ron E for his new visuals to “Deep End,” the three artists show us just how lovely life is like when you’re a rap star as they pop bottles of bubbly, floss bricks of ice on their hands, and stunt next to Rick Ross’ private jet in a plan hanger with a few thick young women. We stay forgetting that Rozay has his own private jet.
Back in Shaolin the Wu-Tang Clan get back into that mode and for their Benny The Butcher assisted cut to “Warriors Two/Cooley High,” the artists let AI create some visual art and take us back to the prohibition era when bootlegging booze was a must and racial tensions were at an all-time high.
Check out the rest of today’s drops including work from Eladio Carrion and Big Sean, Key Glock, and more.
JIM JONES FT. RICK ROSS & RON E – “DEEP END”
WU-TANG CLAN FT. BENNY THE BUTCHER – “WARRIORS TWO/COOLEY HIGH”
ELADIO CARRION & BIG SEAN – “BRANZINO”
KEY GLOCK – “THE GRINCH”
ERIC REPRID – “COME TAKE THIS SH!T OFF ME”
DAYLYT – “BACKPACK”
KIRKO BANGZ – “WAY TOO SOFT”
BAY SWAG & MURDA BEATZ – “MHSTD”
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President Donald Trump will mark 100 days in office this Wednesday (April 30), and it is typically a gauge of the performance and actions of the nation’s sitting leader and their administration. A new poll from CNN highlighted that President Donald Trump has the lowest approval numbers of any sitting president over the past 80 years.
CNN released its poll findings on Sunday and revealed that President Trump has a 41% approval rating, which is lower than the first 100 days of his first time in office. Since last month, Trump has lost 4 points and is down 7 points dating back to February.
The poll numbers also show a tumble in approval ratings from both women and Hispanic voters, and show that Trump is down 7 points with both, with women clocking in at 36% and 28% with Hispanics. Across party lines, Trump still sits strong with Republican respondents of the poll at 86%, with 93% of Democrats showing disapproval. Independent voters revealed 31% approval numbers, which matches his lowest numbers with that group dating back to January 2021.
Respondents also gave the president lower marks on how his reduction in force for the federal government has been handled, with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leading efforts that was purported to cut costs and help lower the nation’s debt. Trump has a 42% approval rating on this front.
Regarding foreign affairs, namely Trump’s cozying up to Russian leader Vladimir Putin and his posture on the world stage regarding the annexing of Canada and Greenland, showed a 60% disapproval rate.
Trump has called for investigations into The New York Times, ABC News/The Washington Post, and Fox News regarding his polling numbers, connecting the reports to “election fraud.”
The full poll results can be seen here.
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Photo: ANNABELLE GORDON / Getty
You can be among the first to find out who is nominated for the 78th annual Tony Awards by tuning into a livestream on the Tony Awards YouTube Page on Thursday (May 1) at 9 a.m. ET. If you’re really a dedicated Broadway fan, be sure to tune in to CBS Mornings at 8:30 a.m. […]
